Union County, NC Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Spacing
- One tree per 50 feet of frontage
- Corner lots
- 1 tree per first 100 ft, then per 50 ft
- Placement
- Within 15 feet of right-of-way edge
- Added by
- Amendment, 5-18-2015
- Existing trees
- May count if preserved
Summary
New subdivisions in unincorporated Union County must plant street trees roughly every 50 feet along lot frontages, spaced within 15 feet of the road right-of-way, under a standard added to the UDO in 2015.
60.110-J Street Trees (section added 5-18-2015)
1. Trees shall be provided at the equivalent of not more than fifty (50) feet apart along all frontages of all lots. In case of a corner lot, one (1) tree shall be provided for the first one hundred (100) feet of the longest frontage, then one (1) tree per fifty (50) feet thereafter. In the event of a fraction of a tree required, the higher number shall be used. Existing trees that are to be preserved may be used to satisfy the requirements of this provision (see Section 55.100 for materials, maintenance and alternative compliance).
2. Trees must be spaced linearly outside the public right-of-way but not greater than fifteen (15) feet from the edge of the right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
110-J of the Unified Development Ordinance, added by amendment on May 18, 2015, sets the county's street tree requirement for subdivision development. Trees must be provided at the equivalent of not more than 50 feet apart along all lot frontages. Corner lots get a modified count: one tree for the first 100 feet of the longest frontage, then one tree per 50 feet after that, and any fractional tree requirement rounds up to the next whole tree. 100 of the landscaping article. Placement is also fixed: trees must be spaced outside the public right-of-way but no farther than 15 feet from its edge, keeping the planting strip close to the street rather than pushed back onto private lots.
110-K, which similarly requires fixtures at intersections, cul-de-sac turnarounds, and no more than 300 feet apart. Both apply only to development in unincorporated Union County outside any town's corporate and extraterritorial jurisdiction; Monroe, Waxhaw, Indian Trail and the other towns set their own street tree rules.
Violations & Fines
A subdivision's final plat and construction plans are reviewed against the Section 60.110-J spacing and placement counts before the county issues plat approval or building permits for the lots; the planning administrator can withhold that approval if the tree count or 15-foot placement standard is not met. Once a subdivision is built out, failing to install or maintain required street trees is enforced under the general UDO violation provisions of Section 95.020: permit denial or revocation, a warning citation with 10 days to correct, escalating fines of $50, $200 and $500 for repeat citations, and a misdemeanor charge under NCGS 14-4 punishable by up to $500 or 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many street trees does a new subdivision lot need in unincorporated Union County?
How close to the road do the street trees have to be planted?
Can a developer count trees that were already on the lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Union County
Compare Union County to another location·View the North Carolina tree protection overview
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